Long Table Distillery celebrates two years of making craft spirits

First, it was the “slow food” movement. A backlash against the fast-food industry, “slow food” encouraged folks to get more informed about where their food came from, buy it locally, and prepare it with love and simple, whole ingredients. The slow food movement lead to similar movements in the beer and wine industries. We have started to move away from mass-produced, huge factory-brewed beers and wines, and have come to appreciate smaller-batched, artisan-brewed beers and wines.

Two years ago, Vancouver joined the craft-distillery movement. Now, not only do we have locally-brewed beers and wines, but we also have locally-distilled, small-batch spirits.

In February of 2013, Long Table Distillery opened its doors. Owner Charles Tremewen brews up West-Coast inspired gins and vodkas in copper kettles in the back of his micro-distillery on Hornby Street. Long Table’s line of spirits include: Texada Vodka, Cucumber Gin (perfect for your G&T), London Dry Gin, Bourbon Barrelled Gin (my personal favourite), as well as one brandy, and an Scandinavian akvavit.

The Straylight and The Anthos–in-house cocktails from Long Table Distillery. (Photo by Rebecca Coleman)

You can stop by and sample the wares, or try one of his craft spirits in a locally-inspired cocktail. Friday afternoons are very popular at Long Table–they have a standing Friday Gin and Tonic Date, from 4-9 pm, usually also paired with a local food truck.

Here’s a gin cocktail recipe for you, straight from Long Table.

Henry Rollins (Photo courtesy by Long Table Distillery)

HENRY ROLLINS

2 oz Long Table London Dry gin
1 oz Apple hibiscus shrub
1 dash Apothecary General Ambrose’s aromatic bitters
1 dash Apothecary Spirit Fire cherry cedar bitters
3‐4 oz Carbonated water

Method: Combine all ingredients except carbonated water in mixing glass and stir (or shake). Add carbonated water to mixing vessel. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Garnish with skewered apple slices in a fan shape.

Long Table Distillery

Address: 51 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1W8
Phone: 604-266-0177
Website: longtabledistillery.com
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday: 1 to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m.